Room Selection explained

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Mar 4, 2013

Room selection offers students several options: room retention, room with a retainer (also known as a “pull-in”), general room selection, RA/CA housing, special-interest housing, block housing, gender-neutral housing, and open assignments.

Most students will participate in one of three room selection choices: room retention, room with a retainer, or general room selection. However, a wide variety of housing options is available to all students. Room selection begins on March 6, so all students returning next year should begin thinking about their housing plans for the 2013–14 school year.

Room retention
Room retention, the first phase, is for students planning to retain their current room for the next school year. Although there are some exceptions, room retention is available to most upperclass students, except those in special-interest housing, a first-year dormitory, or an RA/CA room. First-year students are not eligible to retain their rooms, regardless of their room location. Students considering room retention should remember that once they retain, they cannot change or cancel their housing assignment until the open cancellation period begins.

Room with a retainer
Students retaining their rooms during the first phase are required to fill any vacancies in the room, suite, or apartment with “pull-ins.” In order to be “pulled in” to a room, students must be eligible to participate in room selection and must not have already selected an assignment for the 2013–14 school year.

General room selection
General room selection is the final phase of room selection. During this phase, students eligible for housing who haven’t participated in the preceding phases choose a room from the remaining spaces. Students planning to participate in general room selection must “elect to participate” by signing a housing license agreement. They are then given a random room selection number.

RA/CA housing
RA/CA housing is only available for those students holding an RA or CA position during the 2013–14 school year. These students will not be eligible to participate in room selection, and will instead be assigned a room through the application and selection process carried out by the Office of Student Development.

Special-interest housing
Special-interest housing allows groups of students to apply for group housing centered around a certain interest or theme. Special-interest housing groups should consider how they plan to positively impact the larger residential community before completing the special-interest housing application process.

Block housing
The block housing phase of room selection allows groups of students to select a “block” of apartments near each other in one of the apartment-style dormitories. Students electing to apply for block housing must identify a group representative who will be responsible for setting up their Block Housing group on the housing portal and will remain the main contact point between the group and Housing and Dining Services.

Gender-neutral housing
Gender-neutral housing is a program in the Oakland Community Apartments that permits upperclass residents of different genders to reside in the same room.

Open assignments
Due to fluctuating availability in room assignments, some students are given an open assignment. This means that while they are guaranteed a room for the 2013–14 academic year, they will not immediately know where that room will be located, or what style of room they will be assigned. After receiving an open assignment, students wait until they receive an offer for a room for the upcoming year. After receiving their offer, they can decline the offer and cancel their housing agreement within three days without penalty, even if the offer was made after the open cancellation period ends.